Ornamental attachment for electric lamps or the like



' July 4, 1950 o. l. JOHNSON 2,513,565

ORNAMENTAL ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTR IC LAMPS OR THE LIKE Filed June 21, 1945 Patented July 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE QRNAM N A CH T R aLno'rnIcL MPs on THE LIKE 9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an ornamental attachment for an electric lighting fixture or the like, and more particularly to anfattachment adapted to be used with conventional Christmas tree lights.

In the decoration of Christmas trees and for like decorative purposes there is usually employed a group of miniature electric lamps, generally colored, each lamp being adapted to screw into a socket wired to a twisted electric cord.

It is a principal object of my invention to provide an attachment which is adapted to be quickly engaged with the lamp cord and as readily disengaged, the attachment comprising a central member having suspended from the periphery thereof a plurality of pendants so designed. as to reflect, refract and diffuse the light emanating from the lamp to yield a pleasing and ornamental lighting effect.

' Another object is to provide an attachment of the type described in which the central member is provided with means whereby the attachment may be frictionally held in a predetermined position with respect to the lamp -wl'lerefrom accidental dislodgement of the attachment is obviated, while adjustment from one position to another is facilitated.

Another object is to provide in an attachment of the class described a central member together with a plurality of pendants having mutually engaging means whereby the pendants may be supported with respect to the member and surrounding the lamp.

Still a further object is to provide in connection with a central member as aforesaid pendants which are prismatic in form and generally elon gated, the prism lending itself to refraction of the light emanating from the lamp and to subdivision of white light into spectral colors. Moreover, it is within the purview of the invention to provide elongated members of glass, transparent plastic or the like, and in which the faces of the, prism adjacent the lamp are left plain and those faces which are directed away from the light are frosted, whereby the light leaving the prism is diffused to yield a pleasing and ornamental lighting effect, or in which all of the faces may be frosted with similar results.

. In carrying out my invention in one form I provide an inverted cup-like central member havtral member may or may not be flanged about its 6! periphery and is provided with a plurality of apertures adjacent the outer edge. There is also provided a plurality of pendants of transparent or translucent material each having a hooked member at one end thereof whereby a pendant may be engaged with an aperture to suspend the same. Preferably the pendants are prismatic in form, those faces of the prism nearest the lamp being in a natural or polished condition, and those face remote from the lamp being frosted by etching, sandblasting or similar process to result in refraction and diffusion of the light.

"In the drawings which show a preferred em bodiment of my device and several alternative forms thereof,

Fig, l is a perspective view of the device in its relation to a Christma tree light and its "suspending cord;

Fig. 2 is a partial view in plan of the central cup-like member;

Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of the upper extremity of one of the pendants showing one form of the hook which may be used;

Fig; 4 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the relation between the central member and a pendant;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of an alternative form of pendant molded of plastic composition or the like;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative form of pendant;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view on the line '|-'I of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 shows still another alternative form of pendant;

Fig. 9 is a schematic view to indicate the rela tion of the frosted portions of a pendant to the lamp when using one shape of prism; and

Fig. i0 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but indicating another type of prism.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is indicated a Christmas tree lamp ill of conventional design together with its socket H and electric cord 12 comprised of a twisted pair of conductors by means of which the lamp is suspended from a branch of the Christmas tree or other decorative scheme, The attachment of my invention comprises supporting member l3 preferably of shallow cup shape which is relatively thin and may be formed from glass, plastic composition, metal or other suitable material and in any desired colors, transparent, white or black. The periphery of the member it may or may not be flanged at II as shown and is provided adjacent its periphery with a plurality of slots or apertures 15 as more clearly noted from Fig. 2. Extending from the center of the member Hi to the edge thereof is the radial slot N of sumcient width to enable the member to be thrust over the lamp cord I2 as shown in Fig. 2, and t be retained snugly thereon by reason of its resiliency and that of the insulation of the cord l2. If desired the entrance to the slot it may be widened or chamfered as shown at IT to facilitate engagement of the slot |6 with the cord I2.

Suspended about the lamp I0 is a plurality of elongated pendants 2B of triangular or other cross section and having formed integrally therewith embedded or otherwise fastened to the up per end thereof a hooked portion 2| for suspension. As seen most clearly in Fig. 4, the pendants j are engaged with the apertures |5by merely,

linking the hooked portion 2| therethrough and the desired relation between the pendants and member I3 is maintained by reason of the portion 2| aligning with the slot I5. Thus the member l3 and the pendants 20 may be quickly assembled and disassembled when the tree or other decorative scheme is out of use and the attachment may be stored compactly until use is resumed. As shown in Fig. l, the member I3 is attached to the cord l2 so that the lamp is disposed approximately centrally of the height of the pendants 20, but it will be comprehended that by reason of the adjustability of the member |3 with respect to the cord l2, other vertical positions may be selected.

It is within the scope of the invention to attach the hooked member 2| to the pendant 20 by embedding the same therein during the molding of the pendant or by providing an aperture in the pendant and fastening the hook member 2| therethrough. Alternatively the sides or corners of the pendant may be notched or similarly indented and the hook member 2| provided with claws which may be pressed over the upper end of the pendant to engage the notches 0r indentations. Also the hooked member 2| may include a cup-shaped portion adapted to fit over the ter) of the pendant and cemented thereto. It will be understood that the members 2| may be of relatively soft material so that the end of the hooked portion 2| may, if desired, be bent upon itself after assembly to form a closed loop whereupon the pendants 20 and member l3 are retained as a permanently assembled structure. In Fig. 5 is shown an alternative form of suspending means for a pendant preferred when the pendant is molded from a plastic composition. In this case the hooked portion 23 is molded in tegrally for cheapness of manufacture.

Although I have, for purposes of illustration, shown the pendant 2|] as being a triangular prism, I do not intend to so limit myself since prisms of more than .three sides may be employed. As an alternative I may substitute tapering or cylindrical pendants such as the forms shown in Figs. 6 and 8. In Figs. 6 and 7 a corkscrew or spiral type is indicated and for artistic reasons the same is preferably made tapering towards the bottom. In Fig. 8 a pendant in simula-- tion of an icicle is illustrated. All of these shapes 1 lend themselves to ready molding in glass or plastic composition.

One novel feature of my invention consists in treating the pendants, particularly those of prismatic form, in order to derive maximum decorative efiectfrom their use. Thus in the case of the showing of Figs. 3 or 5, I may use glass or transparent-plastic, for example, a methyl methacrylate plastic, a polystyrene resin or the like, and frost the two faces which are remote from the lamp by sandblasting, etching or otherwise, as best illustrated in the diagrammatic showing of Fig. 9. In this way the light may enter the prism through the unfrosted side or that adjacent the lamp and, on exit, be difiused through the two frosted surfaces, yielding a soft and pleasing lighting'effect. In -Fig. 10 a hexagonal prism is shown, wherein the three faces nearest the lamp are plain and the three faces remote from the lamp are frosted as aforesaid. Or if de- -sired, the entire outer surface of the pendant, whatever its shape, may be frosted. In the case of a non-prismatic pendant the surface thereof adjacent the light may be left in its original polished, condition, and the remainder of the surface 'may be frosted.

If the frosting is omitted and a transparent prism employed, then very interesting and ornamental light refaction typical of prismatic transparent objects is; achieved. If the emitting source of lamp comprises a major portionv of white light then the prism will display all of the colors of the spectrum, but this effect will be reduced depending upon the degree towhich the substantially white light issubd'ued. It is to be understood, too, thatthe supporting member l3 serves also as a reflector and may therefore be provided with a polished or silvered under surface to adapt it better to perform as a reflector.

It is, moreover, within the scope of my invention to substitute for the apertures |5, slots cut into the flange l4 and to so shape the slots or to turn the flange I I4 upwardly as to receive other types of means for suspending the pendants, for example, a headed projection extending from the top of the pendant.

It will :be further understood that the. novel prism of this invention comprising the plain and frosted sides is not'limited to use with the centralmember l3 but. may be employed in other connections, for example, conventional lamp shades,candelabra, chandeliers, and so forth.

While I-have shownparticular embodiments of my invention it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many. modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such-modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope'of my invention. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

'1. An ornamental attachment for an electric lamp or the like suspended by a conductor cord comprising a central supporting member having a slot for frictional engagement with the cord and a plurality of apertures spaced apart about the periphery of said member, and a like plural-, ity of'pendants, each said pendant having an elongated form and including means to engage said apertures for supporting said pendants upon said member and surrounding the lamp.

2. An ornamental attachment for an electric lamp or the like suspended by a conductor cord comprising a central supporting member having a slot for frictional engagement withthe cord and a plurality of apertures spaced apart about the peripherycfsaid member, and a like pluralityof light transmitting pendants, each said lamp, and the remaining two faces being frosted to diffuse the light refracted through the pendant.

3. An ornamental attachment for an electric lamp or the like suspended by a conductor cord comprising a central member having a radially disposed slot for frictional engagement with the cord and a plurality of apertures spaced apart about the periphery of said member, and a like plurality of light transmitting pendants, each said pendant having an elongated prismatic form and including means to engage an aperture whereby said pendants are supported upon said member and surrounding said lamp, the faces of the pendant disposed away from the lamp being frosted to diffuse the light refracted through the pendant.

4. An ornamental attachment for an electric lamp or the like comprising an inverted cupshaped member having a slot for frictional adjustable engagement with the lamp-supporting means and a plurality of apertures spaced apart about the periphery of said member, and a like plurality of pendants, each said pendant including means to engage said apertures for supporting said pendants upon said member and surrounding the lamp.

5. An ornamental attachment for an electric lamp or the like comprising an inverted cupshaped member having a slot for frictional adjustable engagement with the lamp-supporting means and a plurality of apertures spaced apart about the periphery of said member, and a like plurality of pendants, each said pendant including an integral hook-shaped portion to engage said apertures for supporting said pendants upon said member and surrounding the lamp.

6. An ornamental attachment for an electric lamp or the like suspended by a conductor cord comprising a central member having a slot for frictional engagement with the cord, said member having a peripheral flange and a plurality of apertures in said flange, and a like plurality of pendants, each said pendant including means to engage said apertures for supporting said pendants upon said member and surrounding the lamp.

7. An ornamental attachment for an electric lamp or the like suspended by a conductor cord comprising a central supporting member having means for being detachably secured to the cord including a passageway extending from the periphery to substantially the center of said member for receiving said cord, said supporting member having a plurality of apertures spaced about the periphery thereof, and a plurality of elongated pendants, each said pendant having supporting means for engaging said apertures to support said pendants from said member about the lamp.

8. An ornamental attachment for an electric lamp or the like suspended by a conductor cord comprising a central supporting member having means for being detachably secured to the cord including a passageway extending from the periphery to substantially the center of said member for reeciving said cord, said supporting member having a peripheral flange, and a plu rality of elongated pendants having hooked supporting means at one end thereof for being positioned over said flange, said member having provision for detachably coupling said hooked means thereto for supporting the pendants therefrom.

9. An ornamental attachment for an electric lamp or the like suspended by a conductor cord comprising a central supporting member having a slot for frictional engagement with the cord, said supporting member having a peripheral portion, a plurality of elongated pendants having supporting means at one end thereof for being positioned over said peripheral portion, said member having provision for detachably coupling said supporting means thereto for supporting the pendants therefrom.

OSCAR I. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 909,507 Zubli Jan. 12, 1909 1,150,391 Sanford Aug. 17, 1915 1,623,030 Bloch Mar. 29, 1927 2,040,985 Galazin May 19, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,299 Great Britain July 18, 1906 

